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EXECUTIVE BOARD COVERAGE

Positions on foreign disease vectors, feral cats revised

Posted January 1, 2006

The AVMA Executive Board approved two recommendations from the Committee on Environmental Issues.

Under the five-year review directive, the CEI evaluated the AVMA position statement on Foreign Disease Vector Control and determined that it should include invasive species. The board approved the CEI revisions, and the new position statement reads as follows:

Control of Foreign Disease Vectors and Invasive Species

To protect animal, human, and environmental health, the AVMA supports the use of appropriate surveillance and control measures (e.g., inspection, isolation, quarantine, decontamination, pesticide application) on international commerce and travel to prevent the entry of foreign disease vectors and invasive species into the United States.

Next, the board approved revisions to the AVMA position statement on Free-Roaming Abandoned and Feral Cats. Under the section "Managed Cat Colonies," a provision was revised to state: "If sanctuaries for feral cats exist or are to be built, the AVMA encourages properly designed and maintained facilities. High quality care is imperative and overcrowding must be avoided."

During the 2005 AVMA House of Delegates session, the reference committee on legislative and governmental matters suggested that the board refer the position statement to the Animal Welfare Committee and the CEI for revisions.

For the full position statement, log on to www.avma.org/issues/policy/animal_welfare/feral_cats.asp.